The Society

The School needs your help!

For over 120 years, the Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School (OMHSS) has been providing a solid education for underprivileged boys and girls in Adyar, a suburb of Chennai in India. 

Students in the classroom at the Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School

“Colonel Olcott’s pioneering work for educating the poor children from marginalized sections of society is very well known. The concept that through education the underprivileged and disadvantaged can be enabled to stand on their own feet and fight for what is due to them was formulated and given a practical shape by Colonel Olcott much before similar work was started by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar. Several Olcott Panchama Schools were started in and around old Madras. The first one that was started in 1894 by Col. Olcott using his own meagre financial resources continues today and has since been upgraded recently as Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School. It was started as a free school with 45 students including nine girls. Even today no fees are charged to any of the students who go through a life transforming experience at the school. Theosophists alone rose above caste considerations to be the first lot of volunteer teachers at the school.” (By Chittaranjan Satapathy, Inaugural Address, National Conference on Theosophical Education, 23 & 24 September 2016)

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Valéria Marques de Oliveira, I am from Brazil and I have been a member of the TS since August 12^th, 1994.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Luke Michael Ironside. I was born on the island of Guernsey, just off the French coast of Normandy, although spent the majority of my childhood and life growing up in New Zealand, at the complete opposite side of the globe. I have no one particular place which I call my home, and rather regard myself as being a global citizen. This year I will be living between the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

I joined the Theosophical Society formally in 2016, although had been studying Theosophy and related subjects independently for six years prior to this. I have had a deep interest in such subjects as comparative religion, philosophy, and esotericism since a very young age and it was these interests which led me to my current involvement in the TS.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Elena Dovalsantos. Originally from the Philippines; currently residing in Ojai, California.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Pablo Minniti. I was born in Italy, grew up in Argentina, then moved to NY in 1970. I currently reside at the Krotona Institute of Theosophy in Ojai, CA. I joined the TS in 1989, 28 years ago.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Daniele Ulotti. I was born on 14th April 1981 and raised in Northern Italy in a small village between the cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 60km from Bologna. I have been a member of the TS since September 2012.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Lola Rumi, I was raised in the South of Spain, in Seville, but I currently live and work in Madrid.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Ricardo Lindemann. I was born in Porto Alegre, the capital of a southern state of Brazil, where I joined TS in 1979, after a wonderful lecture by President John Coats, and I lived there for half of my life. Later I moved to Brasilia, the federal capital of Brazil, because the national headquarters of the TS was there.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

There is an ongoing discussion about the Theosophical Society’s first object, concerning the word nucleus. In this context we need to read “a” nucleus. In this editorial’s title, elitist is an adjective and this would indicate that it is referring to an elite and therefore might cause confusion. To come to an appropriate understanding of a word, it is always useful to explore what a word means; sometimes it has a variety of conflicting interpretations. Languages are dynamic and the significance of a word, over time, can change. Let’s examine elite.

ELITE:

1. (This is the aristocratic version) Elite (from late 18th century French élite), is a term that originates from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”). In political and sociological theory for a small group of powerful people that controls a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege or political power in a society.

2. (This is the liberal version, according to modern sociologists and anthropologists) The elites (plural) in a society or group are capable of the highest accomplishments in their specific fields, because of their intellectual and psychological development, abilities, and their willingness to share knowledge and skills.  

Elite is also used in military jargon: elite troops. Although we should object to the use of any military force, here it has a positive meaning. Elite troops are often called in to combat terrorist atrocities or to help in the event of a natural disaster. Also in science and education elite relates to the interpretation under # 2. Example: the government in the state of Queensland in Australia, developed an Elite Science Program and on its website, we read the following:

“The Queensland Government is committed to providing world-class education that nurtures excellence, fosters innovation and celebrates diversity. Advancing innovation and research in science education and practice in Queensland Government schools is crucial for cultivating students with the required scientific skills and knowledge for future economic growth.” https://eqi.com.au/study-options/study-tours/elite-science

Although elite, when used as mentioned under # 1 could leave a distorted impression, being outdated and no longer applicable, and taking in consideration that all the words we use, both in writing or in speech, cannot always into detail define an idea and contain limitations, we should not be afraid of the word as such.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Maryanne Zarycka. I'm originally from Burbank, California and moved to Paso Robles, California in 1981. I joined TS in December 2015. I have studied and explored different religions, religious science, metaphysics, assorted beliefs for 30 years, and was a member of the Central Coast Center for Spiritual Living for 10 years. I have always had a deep inner desire to seek the truth and find answers about creation, purpose, karma, reincarnation, and my part in it.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Enrico Stagni, I live in a small village in the province of Vicenza, Northern Italy, not far from Venice. I joined the Italian Theosophical Society on December 25^th 2009, so I’ve been a member of the Italian Section for almost seven years.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Jan Willem van Zuyden, The Hague, the Netherlands. Member since 2008.